Can two goats and three High Holiday Torah Portions unlock atonement’s mechanics? In this instance, a Three-of-a-Kind meeting a Two Goat Lottery sheds light. Some of the Hebrew Bible’s most troubling of tales unlocks an atonement tool. Atonement The Hebrew Bible’s focus on truth, justice and righteousness fails to completely address Atonement. Atonement is arguablyContinue reading “Hitting the Goat Lottery? Yom Kippur’s Torah Portion”
Category Archives: rosh hashanah
The Rosh Hashonah Torah Portion’s Ten Commandments’ Moment
Get up. Carry the boy and hold him in your hand, because I shall make him a big nation. Genesis 21: 23 The Rosh Hashonah Torah Portion tackles both matters of faith and covenant. Abraham, in the portion, is embroiled in a familial crisis. He must deal with competing maternal interests. Sarah, his wife, isContinue reading “The Rosh Hashonah Torah Portion’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”
The Scriptural Root of Zionism: The New Year’s Second Day Haftarah
Arise, Let us ascend to Zion Jeremiah 31:5 Operation Solomon-a mass migration event- made history in 1991. Approximately 2400 years before this event, the Prophet Jeremiah recorded prophetic words which became part of the Hebrew Bible. Are these distant temporal events connected? Can an ancient Prophet be intimately tied to the 20th Century Beta IsraelContinue reading “The Scriptural Root of Zionism: The New Year’s Second Day Haftarah”
On The Limb
for the past two weeks, horrible covid made for misery and endless days of loopiness; a perpetual four drink intoxication state. mentally, i could blow past the legal limit. the shabbat- being the first day of rosh hashonah- uniquely subjected me to constant ear ringing without a shofar’s piercing primordial wake-up call. exhausted. i passedContinue reading “On The Limb”
Stepping Back: What About Isaac?
every jewish new year [rosh hashonah] there is the built-in controversy of the torah reading of the binding of isaac or akedah. this portion serves rabbis and other commentators well with sermons as to whether abraham right or wrong to follow god’s directive to sacrifice his child isaac? they get to ask “what should beContinue reading “Stepping Back: What About Isaac?”
Was The Final Holiday Sacrifice The Greatest? A Ten Commandments’ Tale
the high holidays are full of tales of child sacrifice and loss. rosh hashonah starts with abraham sending his son ishmael to the desert with only bread and water. abraham is then tasked by god to sacrifice his son isaac. on yom kippur, there is the story of the high priest aaron who is grievedContinue reading “Was The Final Holiday Sacrifice The Greatest? A Ten Commandments’ Tale”
The Conversation Starter: A Ten Commandments’ Tale
to start a conversation, i often will bring up a topic and ask the individual what they think of it. this tends to work out well. there are times, however, when i know, if i bring up a certain topic, things will not go well. knowing this, i mentally shelve the topic and come upContinue reading “The Conversation Starter: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”
Forgiveness On Hold: A Ten Commandments’ Tale
in the oscar winning film, forrest gump, the man denied his destiny of dying on the battlefield confronts a great storm. angry at the world. after losing his legs on the battlefield, he then took to lose his soul in a bottle of alcohol. captain dan climbs to the top of the mast and goesContinue reading “Forgiveness On Hold: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”
The Five Essential Books Not Available on Amazon: A Ten Commandments’ Tale
everyday i write the book elvis costello no matter how many times you beckon to “alexa,” you will never get these books on amazon. you never will. the five essential books are the book of good life, the book of redemption and deliverance, the book of livelihood and sustenance, the book of merits, and theContinue reading “The Five Essential Books Not Available on Amazon: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”
I Really Blew It: A New Year’s Tale
The sound of the shofar grew increasingly stronger exodus 19:19 i was about 15 years old and it was my time for cup of coffee in the big leagues for shofar blowing. years of jr. congregation blowing were about to pay off. i got the call to blow shofar for the adults’ rosh hashanah service.Continue reading “I Really Blew It: A New Year’s Tale”
The Ten Commandments Project 